another photo. after coffee he was walking out of news haven. he then got back in his car and drove off.

clearly illegal parking

This is unacceptable. Parking here reduces pedestrian visibility and could easily cause someone to die. Cops need to immediately stop parking here.

If the behavior continues, T&P should install some large concrete barricades to ensure this does not happen. Get rid of a meter space and put in a temporary loading dock space for the cops if they really need to park here.

Blocking the sightlines simply isn't worth someone's life.

C'mon guys. 98% of the time this is fine, and cops need their coffee too!

I will agree that occasionally you see an officer actually park in the crosswalk, which is unacceptable.

For the record, because of the One Ways, at this intersection there is no left turn onto High Street, or right turn onto Chapel. So it isn't that big of a deal.

I guess what I'm asking is if there aren't bigger fish to fry.

Edward Anderson: 98% fine allows for 2% serious risk time. That's about half an hour a day when traffic risk is increased for what -- a cup of coffee? Yes, illegal parking is a bigger fish than a cup of coffee. So are maintaining the respectability and authority of the police force.

I think a better solution would be to move more police onto foot patrols in the downtown area. We don't need so many police cars passing through here.

Police Officers should be setting the BEST EXAMPLE, not abusing their citizen-granted powers to ignore traffic and safety laws while they're on break. I walk by this happening EVERY DAY on my way to get coffee. i know it's a pain to park downtown, but sometimes you have to rise above. I don't see ambulance drivers doing this!

What's more interesting is in the first picture. A guy on his bike, on his phone, on the sidewalk. Let the cop get a coffee and slide into that spot. I'd feel different if he were double parked there, but there's enough space there for an on duty cop.

I agree that Cops feel that they can break the law because they have a badge. They drive and talk on the phone, they run red lights with no emergency, they turn on red when its says not too. I can go on.. THE point is... before you can enforce the law you need to be able to practice it...

You have to be kidding me if your complaining about police parking their patrol cars even if its illegal or not to get a cup of coffee. give me a break and worry about crime and taxes instead. There only there for a brief moment you loser.

These officers work their @#$% off everyday to help us out. If it weren't for them we would have so many serious problems and so many lives taken. Give them a break and let them get a quick cup of coffee after all they do and all they've put up with throughout the day. Worry about more bigger and serious problems than this.

Why would you take this police officers picture for something so silly you stalker. Would you like to be photograhped while at work? i doubt it. How about when the fire department illegally park their trucks at this location. Let's talk about the parking mess downtown. This is nonsense and "Jeff" has issues!

I dont see anything wrong with them double parking to get a cup of coffee because we all have been quilty of double parking for one reason or the other sometime in our driving history, but there are other things I believe the Police should enforce such as They drive and talk on the phone, they run red lights with no emergency, they turn on red when its says not too. And alot of times they end up being the same people the others officers work harder to stop... So its really both ways everyone. We need to help keep peace in our neighborhoods, and on the other side the police need to be more mindful that they must obey the same laws they inforce, but as for the coffee issue.. THATS NO BIG DEAL!!!

I don’t know where to start. First of all I understand that there are "bigger issues" out there than this, however this is seeclickfix, not America’s most wanted. We report issues that we see and can locate. Although I agree that taxes and murders are a bigger deal, I couldn’t find the right location on the map to place a comment, so I just did this one instead.
The fact is that the cop is breaking the law, for no good reason! We all want a coffee break, but we all don’t break the law to do it. And as for those people who say that the cops work too hard to get this type of treatment, I totally disagree. Although helpful and brave they are not above the law. And when they start abusing their power that is where we start to have issues and a break down in the system. I am all for the cops getting a special parking spot on this corner to do whatever they need to do [police and personal reasons both], but until then they should OBEY THE LAW! I also work very hard for a living, and I don't think that this alone should be a valid excuse for letting them do what they want.
I also agree they do other illegal things such as talking on the phone and speeding, but like I said earlier, I didn’t see it or photograph it.
And to those who are personally attacking me as a loser or a stalker are acting very immature. I simply stated an issue that should be addressed and just because we are under the cloak of the internet you feel like you can personally bash me. I might be wrong on this, but it seems strange to me that this ticket received 3 "negative reviews" all within a very short amount of time last night. It’s almost as if the police department released a memo saying not to park here, and all the cops got upset at once. Is that a close guess?
On a positive note I have not witnessed this happening for over a week [and it use to be a daily thing]. So maybe the city and police department have taken notice. I will continue to follow up on the issue and close it soon if the good news continues.
Thanks for the support,

Thanks for the continued diligence Jeff. I couldn't agree more. How am I supposed to follow parking laws, no turning on red, no talking on the cell phone when all I see is our law enforcement breaking the law? I understand that emergency calls are deemed legal on cell phones. Are there not radios as well? Are there not ear pieces for the new blackberries? Cops are not super-humans and impervious to mistakes; are not supposed to be the moral compass of our society; but it would be nice to have their needle pointing +/- 10 degrees of North.

I have also had issues with Police officers driving over the New Haven Green, parking their cars like tanks in a war zone at the corner of Chapel/Church, and parking on the sidewalk at Edgewood Substation. I don't see the need to be 'above the law' in this case. It sets a horrible precedent, and when you see police doing this, you don't feel like they are a part of the community.

Not to relaunch unnecessary commentary, but this is why "community policing" as a policy "failed" - the police did not get out of their cars.

I'm not saying we can have walking beats for every block. I'm not saying we need more bike cops (actually, that'd be nice). I'm just saying that getting out of your car and walking the 1/2 block like a regular citizen to get your coffee shows exposure of the Blue in your uniform and is a good thing for the community.

Also, your purchase is a good thing for the community. So thank you for shopping.

I think it is smart for the cop to park like that and may be procedure.

If he has to park down the block he might not be able to see his car and the property inside such as weapons. Also, if he gets a call he needs to respond as quickly as possible. In an urban setting. it could be hard to find a spot to park and be close to the car. police can't go a shift without using the bathroom or getting a beverage

cop cars are left unmanned all over the city, additionally, when they leave their car to respond to non-emergency calls they are also away from their car and would have to get to it as quickly as possible. so i don't think this logic is working.

i believe you are right though. in all polls, police (or any human) can't go a shift without using the bathroom or getting a beverage.

#1 If a police officer feels they are entitled to break traffic laws, it makes me wonder what other laws they feel entitled to break. If it's OK to double park, is it OK to take drugs from a bust or evidence cash? Police Officers are paid to enforce laws and should be held to the highest standard in exemplifying them.

#2 I work hard. I drink coffee. Does that give me the right to double park, park on the side walk, park in cross walks, park on top of handicapped ramps at corners? If I did that, my car would be towed inside 10 minutes and I'd have a hefty fine to pay.

while i understand that police (and other employees such as deliverypeople etc.) work very hard, and must be frustrated by the trouble with parking in new haven, this type of behavior sets a TERRIBLE example for citizens. where i work has a constant view of this intersection. sometimes, i do see officers and fed-ex/UPS drivers park legally, either in the commercial zone or spots with meters on high street. though i will say that most days both the chapel/high st. no parking zones are filled nearly all day with illegal parking. when an officer pulls out of the spot, it is quickly replaced by a regular citizen tired of circling for a spot, or just in a rush to get coffee.
(delivery/utility trucks also very often park halfway onto the sidewalk on high st. so dangerous.)
a long-term solution concerning parking issues like this needs to be addressed, city-wide. (it is especially dreadful in front of city hall with all of the double parking!)

Cops are too foofoo for Dunkin Donuts these days, eh?

i guess the biggest question I have is if it so ok for a cop to do this for a moment then why do we as tax payers get tickets for doing the exact same things. are our tax dollars time and hectic schedules and less important than a cop we are paying to be available to us?

My gosh. If you're an officer on the job in New Haven, and you want to grab a quick cup of coffee, what are you supposed to do? Circle the block looking for a meter? Pull into the garage a block down the street, pay to park, and spend precious minutes walking to and from?

If what the officer was doing had a real effect on pedestrian safety I'd join with Jeff. But it doesn't, and is mere nit-picking.

The fact that if you or I did what they did we might be ticketed is meaningless. These officers are on duty, working hard and risking their very lives to keep us all safe.

Give them a friggin' break.

I really appreciate the hard work and dedication of almost all of our local police officers. There are a lot of good people on the force; it's a tough job and it has few perks. Complaining about something like this seems petty.

Except it's not. A police officer's first responsibility is to be a role model of good citizenship. If the public gets the sense that officers consider themselves a privileged class, entitled to benefits denied to others by virtue of their position alone, it sends a powerful message to the public that the institution is corrupted. If they are so cavalier about violating the public trust in minor ways, is it really that big a leap to suspect that they might violate it in major ways, too?

Probably most of us here have seen officers make minor violations of traffic and parking laws. I'd venture to guess that most officers don't make a habit of doing this, but it happens enough that almost everyone has a story to tell about cops blowing lights, parking illegally or committing other infractions that would invite a ticket if someone else did it.

The ironic thing is that by doing this they erode the public trust and undermine their own authority, thus making their jobs that much more difficult. I think if the chief committed the department to setting a better example, and made it clear that this sort of thing was no longer to be tolerated under any circumstances, the few rogue officers would quickly be brought into line.

Hey this isn't small town. I don't want the NHPD officer's spending their time trying to find a parking space in the middle of Downtown. Leave them alone..they aren't hurting anyone.

Jones -- I hear you, but what about the message it sends? I'm sometimes in a hurry, too. Sometimes it's even urgent. Does that mean the rules don't apply? Of course not. I don't have a badge.

I think there's a case to be made that cops should have certain privileges that should extend even when they're not responding to calls. But those privileges should be granted to them, not simply taken.

Maybe the way to solve the problem is to post "No Parking -- Police Only" in the areas where this is occurring.

Jeff-- you say you believe cops are only allowed to break laws for "reasonable purposes", by which I presume you mean when responding to emergencies. Hate to be the one to break it to you but in CT cops are above the law. They can do whatever they want whenever they want. They can, and do, rape college girls. They can, and repeatedly have committed cold blooded murder without repercussion. They deal drugs, commit extortion and take bribes. And whenever anyone challenges them they cry like little babies, "we have such a tough job, wah, wah, wah." They are an offense against ALL natural and moral law.

GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get over it? Nah.

There's about a million of us out there and we all have mobile cams. We're going to get pics, lots of them, and when we have enough of them we're going to submit them to the local media and your chief.

Are all you whiners the same people who give the same ''I didn't see nothin'' wimpy reply to the police when they are looking for information on a real crime?

Actually, no, Oscar, we're not. In fact, if you look around this board, you'll find citizens who are actively watching and reporting drug deals in their neighborhoods, in some cases even offering incentives for those who can get evidence on film or digital.

If anyone's whining, it's the cops who are scared they'll have to give up privileges (like free parking anywhere) that they were never granted by the voters and taxpayers who pay their salaries. That's the only whining I'm hearing on this board.

This is a joke, now i know why i stay out a New Havana,People @#$% about cops parking illegally to get a cup of coffee,yet there's no @#$% about the scores of illegals living in the sactuary city of New Havana,Heres an idea maybe the police chief should give these officers Lord Destefino's illegal id cards,that will give them the right to do what every they please just like the illegals with out any repercussions.Have a nice day!

it's hard to understand the concept of broken window theory; it's the small things that make a difference. when the police launch a new campaign to reinvigorate the children in the city and open the youth's eyes to the beauty that is serving your city in uniform, and then they walk down the street and see johnny law breaking his own laws, it's hard to know what rules to follow and what to bend.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/08/breakthrough_on_broken_windows/

BWT is for physical infrastructure as well as social issues, and this is a social issue that is easily correctable. clearly, it will still happen after we have addressed this, but hopefully people will now think twice before clogging important pedestrian sightlines, block fire hydrants, jut out into crosswalks. remember: this city has the highest rate of walkers to and from work of any in new england - somewhere around 14% walk to work if memory serves me

mcf24 have a nice day wherever you are traveling - sorry it won't be on the streets of new haven, where there is a such a vibrant community spirit that isn't afraid to tackle all issues, big and small

I think the city will survive just fine without his poisonous presence.

Just so you know mcf24, the Raving Lunatic Department is down the hall and to the left. Just look for the woman talking to herself about "death panels" and you'll know you are in the right place. Thanks.

downtown d, really interesting article. I'm convinced that the vast majority of people are not malicious and intend no harm when doing things like double parking or littering but in doing so, it gives implicit permission for others to do the same and when enough people are doing it, it becomes a real problem. If that idea is applied to a more general disregard for the law by policemen, it becomes a very slippery slope. "If it is ok for me to double park, is it ok for me to run red lights? If its ok for me to double park and run red lights, is it ok for me to help myself to the lobster in this locked restaurant in the middle of the night?" That is hyperbole I'll admit (though not for Madison's Police).

Incidently, if you want to see some real chaos, go to Water Street behind the Police Department where there are cars routinely parked on sidewalks, in cross walks and on top of handicapped access ramps. mean while, there are 30 parking spots across the street marked "For Police Only" that are entirely empty.

I walk past there every day and there is a DUI Enforcement trailer parked on the street. For months there has been a Starbucks cups sitting on the hitch. Last week the trailer was moved, presumably by the police. The cup is now sitting on the curb. Nobody could bother to put it in a garbage can?

This is on the corner of Chapel and Church. I cannot verify that the cop was in the adjacent Starbucks, but I find it humorous and ironic none the less.

Boy, you guys play rough.

Is this what SeeClickFix is going to become? (an anonymous @#$% session.)

Could we possibly try to remain constructive, AND keep an eye on our overall tone.

FWIW.

Oh Ellis, get over it...you must have been an academy reject. You always have something negative to say about the police. I rarely see cops giving parking tickets....the meter maids will never give someone a break with parking violations. Call one of your liberal friends the next time you have an emergency. This matter is so trivial. Get a life!!

shall we close this issue?

i think it's been noted by all parties

my 2 cents

I'm not so sure 'see click fix' is actually working if the police continue to live and do how they please, avoiding to follow the same laws they 'enforce'

No I don't think this issue should be closed.

It's not fixed-

3 weeks later, I’m asking why it has not been fixed.
Creators of this site...any input?

And for all of you who do not think this is a real issue- give me a call next time you need a cop- and they ignore you because they are too busy getting a cup of coffee, parking illegally or texting on their phone. Because this has happened to me.

Here's a good example to sum up our NH police force:
We once had a drunken man break into the entry way of our friend’s house and would not leave and continued to try to break in further. After 20 minutes of calling the police force, a cop finally showed up, and told us that we were over reacting, and then proceeded to walk the drunken man home. And the cop left us with this comment "We have real crimes going on out on the streets"
Since when is breaking into a house in a drunken stupor not a crime? I understand that no one was killed or hurt, but apparently someone had to have been in order for the cops to see this as a 'real' issue

I am a citizen of New Haven, I pay the crazy high taxes, and I expect a decent police force - so please do you job.

hey- you all just need to get a grip. take a deep breath and remind yourself that we are living in a police state. that means we (the government) make the laws and we can break them. if you don't like it- then move to some place that actually values democracy. hmm, let me see- oh right, there isn't one left in this big brother-corporate free-for-all, money plays global cesspool that we have all fought so hard to make. go get some starbucks, have a snack at mcdonald's, and plug yourself into your iPhones and be pacified... that's the american way.

Has it been said yet?

You are a petty, silly person to fight 'the man' over something so minor.

I bet you were a hall monitor in school.

Get over it and let the cops protect and serve.

If they can't be trushed to follow the law how can they be trusted to serve it?

If they can't be trushed to follow the law how can they be trusted to serve it?

ok cops next time you go to a domestic call and the only parking space is in the corner blocking the crosswalk just keep driving around until you find a legal parking space. Hello people these are the guys you call when you need help give them some support and stop trying to bring them down

seems to have stopped for now. i will keep an eye out for it. Now that Yale is back it could start up again however.

Please! Cops do a LOT of things illegally ALL THE TIME! Do you know how often I see them talking on their cells, when you darn well know its not an emergency, park in illegal areas, and my biggest pet peeve - double park just so they can talk!!!!

I have very little faith in our police. I often see them pass by illegal activity without issuing tickets or arresting people. This is why people drive so terrible in Connecticut - because they know they can get away with it. I cant tell you how many traffic issues Ive seen happen RIGHT NEXT to a cop and they do NOTHING! And how often do we see a bunch of cops sitting in a parking lot talking?! I saw 4 cop cars one day lined up in a parking lot near Dixwell - just shootin the breeze instead of issuing citations where it matters.

The issue isn't just the parking. It is the fact that parking here seriously reduces visibility at the intersection, which endangers the lives of people trying to cross the street (as well as drivers of vehicles and cyclists traveling through the intersection).

Bottom line is that the sightlines must be kept clear at all times. This is known as "daylighting" intersections and greatly increases safety.

If the police need a space to stop here, then a designated "police only" space should be created next to Starbucks -- but NOT in the area near the curb corner that needs to be kept free as a sightline.

Ideally, the curb should be bumped out/extended (image shown here), which would reduce the crossing distance for peds, greatly increasing safety and comfort, thus boosting retail desirability and walkability for peds of all ages. This would fix the problem of illegally parked vehicles.

Funding should be sought to make a curb extension a reality as soon as possible.

A number of pedestrians have been seriously injured at this intersection as a direct result of the intersections' design. More injuries are simply not acceptable.

Given the chance that another vehicle may park here, and the serious danger involved (see above), the issue should be kept open until illegal parking is no longer a possibility at the intersection.

There is no reason to post such a statement. They are here to protect us and be visible. Where are you the most visible?; corners and local businesses. Everyone needs a cup of coffee and food sometime and what about being on a break. Whomever posted this does not care about being safe. Shame on them.

Dear Jeff,

What you probably do not realize is that a Police Officer is tied to that patrol car. Meaning, he/she can never be that far away from it as there is always the chance that an emergency will rise. Since a Police Officer is ot a robot, and therefore does require such things as food and drink and the use of a bathroom what would you like the officer to do? Park down the street in a parking lot. Walk a block to the coffee shop. Then be late getting to your house when there is a home invasion? Let's face it. Cops and Firemen are there waiting for an emergency to happen. They have to be readily available when it does, or I am sure there will be a whole lot more press than this ridiculous and infantile complaint that you have made here.

I think the larger problem here is the perception that police don't follow the laws they're supposed to protect. While I personally understand that police officers are human and deserve a little bit of flexibility, they also need to think about the message it sends.

There is a widespread perception, particularly in poor communities, that police consider themselves above the law, and that they revel in their ability to flout it. It does not matter that this is, for the most part, not true -- the perception is everything, and it subtly undermines the department's credibility on other issues.

I agree Jeff, emergency services need a little flexibility of the law to be available in a given notice.

To me it sounds as though New Havener's are all too bored with life and don't have anything to do but be a bunch of sissy whiners, I see New Haven has not changed in the past 20+ years, amazing and yes I confirm that all civil servants should be and must be the epitomy of what they are expecting to accomplish or they are just a bunch of blood sucking leeches who are taking free taxpayers' money as salaries and beleiving they are useful humans, yes they are useful for garbage only and to raise misfit kids that will be just like their useless parents

So in other words, Joe, you're saying that the public should just shut up about problems they see in the community and stop their "whining." Maybe we should stop voting, paying taxes and serving in the military, too?

Why participate in public life at all, since everything in America is already perfect and any attempt to change it is an admission of fault and therefore inherently unpatriotic?

Ok maybe they do need to get coffee, be close to their cars etc. What is the excuse for all the illegally parked cars around the entire police station? They are dozens of cars on sidewalks, in no parking zones, blocking crosswalks etc. Yet, the meter maids will bag you if you park in one spot too long.

Hey get a life

The patrol cars and the police officer's private cars are parked illegally because there is no place for them to park. When the site and the building were chosen and designed, NHPD did not number almost 500 officers. Coupled with the fact that it is in an area that does not have a lot of parking due to the train station across the street. Then factor in the civilian workers at the station as well. I am sure NHPD officers are not happy about their parking situation, but there does not seem to be anything that can be done abolut it, unless you close off the side street between the highway and the station and make that a huge parking lot. The City does not seem to want to do that however.

So Steve, everything is not always so superficial. And I hate to be the one to break it to you, but most cops are decent people only trying to do the right thing under difficult circumstances. Now Meter Maids.......that is a whole different kind of animal!! LOL

People are funny. They will ALWAYS have something to complain about. The cops got to my house late, the cops double park, the cops arrested my brother (even though he admitted a violent crime), the cop wasn't nice to me...

Given the totality of things happening in New Haven i find it laughable that this would be an issue worth posting. Take your camera a little further up chapel street and photograph the people standing curbside selling drug/ shooting up neighborhoods. Post that. Is your world that happy dappy that you need to complain about such a minor problem. Are you upset because you received a parking ticket from a cop?

You argue that a cop, or any other civilain, car parking curbside in a certain zone is unsafe. If the pedestrian cant see traffic they shouldn't step into the street until they can. I would think that's common sense. Its that persons responsibility to make sure they keep themselves safe.

I'm a tax paying citizen, your a tax paying citizen. COPS are tax paying citizens also, believe it or not. So i guess that means cops pay a portion of their own salaries also. so i guess the arguement "we pay your salaries" cant really apply in this situation.

Like someone posted earlier. Cops are tied to their cars. I know i wouldn't want an officer looking to legally park his car when responding to help me. Or having to walk more than a few feet to get to his vehicle, while he his purchasing a donut.

I've grown up in new haven. we need the police to be flexible and ready to act with the moments notice. Seconds count when an emergency is called in. If you dont see a need for officers parking on the green, then their tactics must be working. Cops MUST remain visible to deter as much crime as possible.

And finally I know and met plenty of officers who ride in cars and still know the people in their communities, probably better than most of you know your neighbors you've been living side by side with for years. Unless you follow the cops around in the hardest and toughest areas, dont complain that they need to be on walking beats. Whether in a car or on foot, if you dont want to know the community then you will not. just because a cop is walking doesnt mean he will learn the community or it's people.

Long story short let's rally together to fix other major issues like the people trashing our neighborhoods with violence and savage acts.

And if your like Jeff, and feel the need to photograph an officer, why dont you photograph them for seizing a gun or getting a bundle of drugs off the corner. Or better yet photograph them speaking to the city youth attempting to make a difference in the life of someone who has no guidance.

This post is a joke. Get a real problem to fix. Dont get mad, I'm biased in favor of cops.

Dear Tax Paying Citizen,
It took you 10x's longer to write about me wasting my time and how I need to get a life than it took me to take these pictures and post them. It was an issue that I wanted fixed, and it seems to have been addressed by the police force. To my and their credit I have closed this issue once before, only to have it reopened by another user.
All I wanted was the cops to respect the laws they enforce. That is all.
Thanks for keeping this post classy!
Jeff

you're right jeff. let's get rid of all the cops. then i could quit my job simply take whatever i want from geeks like you who call 911 because they need someone to help them change their panty liner. never mind all the time and tax money that the #@&*% defense lawyers are wasting on the petit family murder in cheshire. worry about this guy having a coffee. oh my god! stop the world and let me off. society is going to collapse. don't worry about all the corrupt politicians who make the laws the cops have to enforce. i forgot, most people like you don't realize that. civilians make the laws. civilians run the courts. you should be screaming about which ceo got your tax money after the bailout. oh no! a double parked police car. if it was a local scumbag in his stolen honda would you take his picture. no you wouldn't. because he wold jack your sorry @ss, and then you would call guess who. THE COPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey life, I support cops 100 percent but I don't think it's too much to ask to insist that they follow the laws they're supposed to enforce -- even the little ones.

Although I agree that it's a trifling issue, it sets a terrible example when cops don't follow the very laws they're supposed to be enforcing, and I suspect it makes their job much harder because it erodes public respect for and confidence in police as an institution. Small things like this are often much more visible to the public than the important and dangerous work cops do on the job every day.

Instead of giving cops blanket immunity from parking laws, what about an ordinance setting aside a parking space or two on every block, and exempting cops from fire lane and hydrant restrictions?

What Eddie says is true, in a way. Police should set a good example for everyone else. And they do, by and large. Like Tax Paying Citizen makes the point. Where is the News and the cameras when a Police Officer takes down a dangerous felon or saves a kid from a fire, etc. You never hear too much about that. Eddie says lets give them a few parking spaces. Let's allow them to park near fire hydrants and the like. I ghate to break it to you Eddie, they already are exempt from these laws and can actually park any where they want to as they are emergency vehicles. Just like the ambulances and the fire trucks. That's because the Police Officer is always on duty. Waiting for something to go wrong or for someone who needs help. Never have I heard such gobblygook regarding such trivial nonsense. People wonder why some Police become callous when they take complaints. Just imagine 20 years of listening to this garbage, day in and day out. I think you would have a slight attitude as well. I know I did.

Jeff, you have entirely too much time on your hands.

This issue was closed six months ago. (or so I thought).

Certainly it was a fair discussion. But clearly it's time to move on.

I live near here, and the police and ambulance guys have definitely tempered their behavior. No longer do they ever block a pedestrian crosswalk.

fwiw.

Eddie, that's not the case and your interpretaion is fine because you live with it. I spent more time in the Jungles of Asia LRRP operations than you did in High School but let's not go there it was a long and uncomfortable camping trip.
I'm only saying that there are too many people taking photos of stupid things such as a COP getting a coffee, this is one bored person and then whine where they park, I say they should park next to the entrance door just in case they get that emergency call but again that is only (my) one person's opinion, my comment relates to the fact that I grew up in New Haven and with all the so called "progressives" @#$% and moaning but they never spent consitent time working except their college summer jobs which is for fun, unless they needed to because they had no money, so, it seems NH has not changed, how well I know the streets of NH and I support the cops if they are good but on the other hand if they are not good then I also support them to the same fates as the smugglers and criminals in Laos and Cambodia and the Golden triangle in the China-Burma-Viet Nam area, COPS go bad too so, I support to give everyone the opportunity to be the best they can or want to be.
In as being a public servant, be the example, do your duty or get out of the way, there are many civilians out there with a good head on their shoulders who can replace the lame ones, taxes should not pay for the fat and lazy and useless at any level of our society.

http://www.baltimorepolice.org/join-the-team/media-center/cop-for-a-day

i would rather see thugs , guns ,crack on that corner how about you jeff. you see we think alike i wonder if they park on Newhall for coffee or Dixwell Ave for coffee or news g jeff you are on to something. Thanks Jeff for the insight.

What about the Connecticut State Police Troopers who speed all day long, not going to any call, no emergency lights or siren etc. They feel (are) exempt and violate their on policy. Who's going to do anything like pull them over?

how do i stop following this issue?

ah, it was in one of the 50 emails from yesterday

Give it a break libtards, where in the *Hail do you want the popo to park, two blocks down the street to get a cup of Coffee. When you call 911 at 0400 hrs. cuz some knee-grow is knocking on your backdoor, no pun intended, you want them to show up Don't you libtards.

To In the Know,
I am not disputing that most officers are decent people, heck i respect the job that most of them do. The point of my post was the selective enforcement. I work downtown, and i have to pay, PLUS walk almost 4 blocks to work. Days that i've tried to save time etc my tires have been "chalked" and i've still been cited for meter parking. What happens if you don't pay? fines double, how many of the same cars are seen illegally parked at the courthouses each day? state marshalls and court security, are they ever cited? NO. The same goes for City hall- the same cars are parked there, "all day" and either on non paid meters, or illegally parked for more then 60 minutes. Again, Selective enforcement. The City can rape and pillage my paychecks and finances but they and the chosen few have carte-blanche to do anything they want with nothing done.

I dont see a Officer double parking to buy coffee. I see an Officer standing on a street corner, and walking into a store, but still have yet to see any proof of an Officer committing a traffic violation to buy a cup of coffee. The only evidence I see in front of me is an Officer possibly handeling a call for service. Which is exactly what he was doing because I was in the coffee shop when these pictures were taken. Origingal poster needs to be a better wannabe snitch before he starts posting this nonsense.

To Steve,

That is a separate issue and I completely sympathize with you. Those things should not happen. I also know the feeling you can get in your gut when you have penalized and someone else gets away with it day and day out. But what we are really talking about here is not just the Police. What we are really talking about is the priveleges given to City Hall and all of its "special individuals." That they are able to park anywhere they want is wrong. There is no reason why those non-emergency vehicles should be parked anywhere but in the appropriate spot. That is arrogance. Arrogance of position and authority and it @#$% the people off.

No big deal if on duty and that's what it looks like. If that's his patrol area, we want him to get out of his car and poke his head in now and then. I wouldn't want him to park 5 blocks away and have to waste time running to his car when he got an emergency call. That would be stupid.